As much as she loves doing nails, Dana Gonzalez-Kurtz, owner of Artistry of the Nail at Salon Shibumi in Portland, Ore., draws the line at doing things that eat into the profits she’s entitled to. So while she cheerfully offers free repairs within two weeks of an enhancement service, she’s less generous when clients extend the time between fills. “A few clients were trying to save money by going three, and occasionally four, weeks between rebalance appointments,” says Gonzalez-Kurtz. “They were costing me more time (for repairs and replacements) as well as more money (by using more product).”

So a few months back she instituted a new policy. For three-week appointments, Gonzalez-Kurtz charges an additional $5 maintenance fee, plus $6 per nail for repairs. Four-week appointments get charged as a new full set. For the most part, clients have been understanding about her need to enforce the policy. “I stand behind my work,” she says. “However, even well-done enhancements need regular maintenance; two weeks is the optimum time frame. Any more than that, and I can no longer guarantee my work.”

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